Obadiah 1:3 (NIV): The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rocks and make your home on the heights, you who say to yourself, “Who can bring me down to the ground?”
I did a search for pictures on “pride” and all I found were pictures with the gay pride rainbows supporting the LGBTQ agenda. One picture indicated that God hated them. That isn’t true. God loves all people, to include all sinners, of which I am one.
As I pondered how the word “pride” has been appropriated by the LGBTQ community, I pondered the use of the word pride in the above verse.
Obadiah wrote his short prophecy against Israel’s neighbor and relative, the Edomites. Edom (another name for Esau) was a son of Isaac and was the twin brother of Jacob, whose name was later changed by God to be Israel. The Edomites should have supported the Israelites, after all, they were family. Instead the Edomites constantly fought against and belittled the Israelites, even when the Israelites were attacked by foreigners. The Edomites felt superior because of their defensive position in the “clefts of the rocks.”
I think that is the problem with pride. The feeling of superiority and not depending on God.
Even today, this warning from Obadiah can apply to me. When I am full of pride and am feeling superior, I don’t depend on God. Obadiah’s warning is that pride is a deception. In the very next verse God declares that He “will bring you down.”
How do these words apply now? Well, I can certainly apply them to me. I want to let go of my inappropriate pride and instead rely on God. I pray that all people in our society can do the same.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, please forgive me for my own pride and feelings of superiority. I humbly release those feelings and instead declare and embrace my dependence on You. May all people let go of their own pride and embrace You as their Lord and Creator.
